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    HomeAcademies and InstitutesAppalachian Leadership InstituteAppalachian Leadership Institute (Class of 2021-2022)

        
            
Appalachian Leadership Institute (Class of 2021-2022)
	
	
						

			
	
	
	**Meet the 2021-2022 class of the Appalachian Leadership Institute**,**who graduated in July 2022.** Watch the Class of 2021-2022’s recap video here.





    Pennsylvania      
      Athena Aardweg

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Pennsylvania                        Athena Aardweg
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            Athena Aardweg is the Community Services Manager at the Nonprofit & Community Assistance Center under NEPA Alliance, and an Instructor for the Department of Sociology, Social Work and Criminal Justice at Bloomsburg University. She has spent her career working with individuals and organizations centered around programs that meet the needs of low-income communities; her expertise lies in linking a communities’ needs with the resources available. Ms. Aardweg has a MSW and MPA from the University of Pittsburgh. With a love of good conversation, coffee and the great outdoors, you’ll often find her exploring hidden gems of the roads less traveled.
                                                                                                

South Carolina      
      Trent Acker

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South Carolina                        Trent Acker
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            Trent Acker is the Executive Director of the WorkLink Workforce Development Board, which serves jobseekers and employers in Anderson, Oconee, and Pickens Counties in South Carolina. As Executive Director, Trent provides strategic leadership, builds partnerships with diverse stakeholders in the community and manages grant funds, staff, and contractors to accomplish the work of the Board.  Prior to his time with WorkLink, Trent worked in economic development in Pickens County. Trent is a graduate of Clemson University and a South Carolina Certified Economic Developer.  He his and wife Erica are proud parents of their 7-year-old son Brady and 5-year-old daughter Grace.
                                                                                                

North Carolina      
      DeWayne Barton

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North Carolina                        DeWayne Barton
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            DeWayne Barton is a native of Asheville, N.C. He grew up in Washington, D.C. and is a Gulf War Veteran. He attended Norfolk State University from 1996-1999, majoring in Social Work. He is the author two books of poetry and has been involved in community and youth development for over 20 years.  As a visual and performing artist, he is involved in environmental justice issues—both through his art and his community involvement.  His mixed-media, found-art installations have been featured at Duke University, Smithsonian Institute’s Museum of African American History and Culture, and the August Wilson Museum as part of Affrilachian Artist Project. He is co-founder of both the Peace Gardens & Market and Green Opportunities – a green jobs training program. In 2019, he was selected as a Robert Woods Johnson Culture of Health Leader.  He is the founder and CEO of Hood Huggers Intl. and Hood Tours –  building communication, connection, and wealth using the arts, environment, and social enterprise. DeWayne was recently appointed by the governor to sit on the board of the NC Arts Council and is the current President of the Burton Street Community Association.
                                                                                                

North Carolina      
      Chuck Brown

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North Carolina                        Chuck Brown
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            Chuck Brown is fortunate to work with the dedicated professionals at the NCWorks Career Center in Morganton, NC. Prior to accepting that job in 2006, he served as an unemployment insurance analyst in the 20 westernmost NC counties for the Employment Security Commission. He graduated from the University of North Carolina, but only went to enough classes to pass Calculus because he would leave the classroom as Michael Jordan was walking in for the next class. Chuck is married to the world’s best veterinarian and they live in Asheville, NC. They have several kids and pets who tolerate each other.
                                                                                                

New York      
      Tyre Bush

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New York                        Tyre Bush
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            Tyré C. Bush is the Director of Academic Pathways for SUNY Corning Community College in the Workforce Division. Prior to joining the Workforce team; she spent 24 years in Admissions with colleges in New York and Colorado. Additionally, she has experience in a host of different roles: director of an auto museum, waitressing, bartending, firefighting and EMT (often overlapping). Tyré has a BA in Art, and an MSEd in Education from Elmira College. She also holds an EMT Certificate.  She and Mark Lyons have two children, Quinn (11) and Sawyr (9), and a Kitten named Hanz-Malone.
                                                                                                

Georgia      
      Marie Cochran

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Georgia                        Marie Cochran
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            Marie T. Cochran is a native of Toccoa, GA in the Northeast Georgia Mountains. She is the founding curator of the Affrilachian Artist Project, which celebrates the intersection of cultures in Appalachia and nurtures a network of individuals and organizations committed to the sustainability of a diverse region. As a visual artist, Cochran creates mixed media pieces that address community history and are often grounded in interdisciplinary dialogues focused on social justice. She has exhibited extensively throughout the Southeast and nationally. Cochran received degrees from the University of Georgia (BFA) and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (MFA). She has been an art faculty member at colleges in Georgia, New Jersey, Maryland, and North Carolina. Cochran was recently named the Lehman Brady Visiting Professorship in Documentary Studies at Duke University and American Studies and the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill.
                                                                                                

West Virginia      
      Amelia Courts

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West Virginia                        Amelia Courts
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            Dr. Amelia Courts serves as the President/CEO of The Education Alliance, a West Virginia based non-profit organization that mobilizes business and community support to strengthen public education. Amelia is passionate about developing West Virginia’s human capital by investing in our youth.  Under her leadership, the Alliance has advanced workforce initiatives including the Governor’s STEM Council, computer science, and high school Work-Based Learning. Amelia previously served as Assistant State Superintendent of Schools and taught ESL in Japan and China. She earned her doctoral degree at West Virginia University, is active in her church, and is the proud parent of two children.
                                                                                                

Kentucky      
      Misha Curnutte

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Kentucky                        Misha Curnutte
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            Born and raised in David, a small coal-mining town in Floyd County in Eastern Kentucky, Misha Curnutte am married with twin sons. Misha has an eclectic background in healthcare, law enforcement, tourism, and economic & community development. She sits on boards for The David School and Floyd County Community Foundation. She is an administrative dispatcher with Floyd County Sheriff’s Office and part-time director of Floyd County Tourism. She is working with a newly formed non-profit, Hidden Treasures, a regional marketing effort to enhance the quality of life in a post-coal era Eastern Kentucky. She is determined to be a positive voice and advocate for the hard-working, resourceful people of Appalachia.
                                                                                                

Tennessee      
      Audrey Depelteau

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Tennessee                        Audrey Depelteau
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            Dr. Audrey Depelteau, the director of the ETSU Innovation Lab which received the International Soft Landings Designation in 2015 and has recruited six German companies to northeast Tennessee. She is a team member of the ETSU Research Corporation which serves to enrich the university’s culture of research and to promote economic development in Tennessee. Audrey, a former Environmental Toxicologist, owned multi-disciplinary health-care clinics in Massachusetts and California. She is a mentor in the Climate Reality Leadership Program and serves on a wide-range of executive boards. Audrey shares her home with a Boxer, four rescued cats and three rescued parrots.
                                                                                                

Pennsylvania      
      Samantha Dye

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Pennsylvania                        Samantha Dye
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            Samantha Dye is the Chief Development Officer at POWER (Pennsylvania Organization for Women in Early Recovery). Prior to joining POWER in 2019, she spent the last 16 years directing development and programming for National Council of Jewish Women, Community Day School, and Jewish Federation of Pittsburgh. Samantha has a BA in Rhetoric from the University of Pittsburgh. She has two teenagers and two rescue dogs and loves them all fiercely.
                                                                                                

Mississippi      
      Meryl Fisackerly

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Mississippi                        Meryl Fisackerly
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            Meryl Fisackerly, serves as Vice President of Economic Development for the Golden Triangle Development LINK, having joined the organization in 2017. In her current role, she leads all business development, industrial recruitment and business retention and expansion.  Meryl also serves as the administrator of the Lowndes County Industrial Development Authority where she handles all day-to-day operations, including; management of a budget in excess of $2.5 million, the oversight of all land development and the management of all contractor providers. Most recently, Meryl led the Golden Triangle Development LINK in their accreditation of becoming the only Rural Certified Region within the Tennessee Valley Authority. Meryl enjoys exercising, floral arranging and hosting social events. She resides in Columbus, Miss., with her husband Brinton and their two daughters.
                                                                                                

Alabama      
      Derrick Gilmore

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Alabama                        Derrick Gilmore
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            Derrick C. Gilmore serves as the Executive Vice President at Stillman College, located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Before his appointment at Stillman in 2020, he served as the Deputy Provost at Kentucky State University in Frankfort, Kentucky, and a member of the Board of Regents. Mr. Gilmore has nearly two decades of experience in higher education, and spearheaded initiatives totaling over 500 million dollars in applied and basic research during his career. He serves on the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama Council for Innovation and Technology, as well as serving on the Shelton State Community College ASPIRE 2030 Community Engagement and Development Subcommittee. Additionally, he is a member of the executive committee of the Southern Regional Education Board, Office of Postsecondary Education, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other Minority Serving Institution’s Initiative. He is driven by his mission to be an advocate for increasing the capacities of HBCUs’ to support the development and preparation of socially conscious leaders. A native of Montevallo, Alabama, Mr. Gilmore is in the third year of this doctoral studies in adult and higher education at Morehead State University, located in Morehead, Kentucky. He is a proud alum of Albany State University, where he earned both a M.S. and B.S., he is also a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Incorporated. The ultimate conviction of Mr. Gilmore’s life is being a husband to Karla F. Gilmore and father to their son, Jabbar A. Gilmore.
                                                                                                

Kentucky      
      Brian Gupton

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Kentucky                        Brian Gupton
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            Brian Gupton is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Dataseam.  From a western Kentucky mining family and a native of Princeton, Kentucky, Brian spends most days in the eastern Kentucky region driving Dataseam’s technology and workforce development initiatives with K-12 schools. Gupton is an Eagle Scout and graduate of the University of Louisville (BA History). He has served a variety of boards supporting Kentucky Gifted and Talented Education as well as the Louisville Parks Foundation. Brian spends available downtime renovating a mid-century modern home or in the yard with his dogs tending to urban farming and astronomy activities.
                                                                                                

West Virginia      
      Jennifer Hause

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West Virginia                        Jennifer Hause
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            Jennifer Hause is a Program Manager at the West Virginia University Energy Institute. She earned her BS and MS Degrees in Civil Engineering (91/97), both from WVU, and is a certified Project Management Professional. Her experience includes work with the National Environmental Services Center and the West Virginia Water Research Institute for over 25 years helping to resolve water infrastructure issues in small communities and rural areas across the country, and specifically across the Appalachian region. Jen grew up in rural West Virginia, in the heart of coal country, and is personally familiar with the challenges many Appalachian communities face.
                                                                                                

Mississippi      
      Leon Hays

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Mississippi                        Leon Hays
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            Leon has served in his role as Executive Director of the Prentiss County Development Association since July 2010. He received a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Mississippi. In August of 2014, Leon received his certification as a Professional Community and Economic Developer. He is active in several state and regional economic development organizations including the Mississippi Economic Council, Mississippi Economic Development Council, TAP Alliance and he currently serves on TVA’s Rural Development Cabinet. He also serves as a board member for the United Way of Northeast Mississippi and the Yocona Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America. A native Mississippian, Leon calls Booneville, MS his home along with his wife, Amanda, and his three children Bishop, Ben, and Lucy.
                                                                                                

Kentucky      
      John Jones

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Kentucky                        John Jones
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            Dr. John Jones is the medical director and a board-certified internal medicine physician at Primary Care Centers of Eastern Kentucky located in Hazard, Kentucky. He also serves as the medical director of the Mary E. Martin Diabetes Center and has worked in state wide projects to develop hepatitis C awareness and treatment on the primary care level. He serves in various roles and committees at the Kentucky Primary Care Association, Hazard Appalachian Regional Hospital, Quality Independent Physicians, as well as board chairman at Riverside Christian School in Lost Creek, Kentucky. He obtained a bachelor’s degree at Alice Lloyd College, and his medical degree at the Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine, both located in the heart of Appalachia.
                                                                                                

North Carolina      
      Leah Jones-Marcus

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North Carolina                        Leah Jones-Marcus
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            Leah is a native of Western North Carolina, born in Hendersonville. She has previously worked in early childhood education, at-risk K-12 education, and non-profit management. Her expertise is in synthesizing complex ideas into actionable plans and leveraging data to inform strategies that advance organizational goals. Leah received her B.S. in Education from Florida State University. She currently holds the credentials of Project Management Professional (PMP) and Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE). On the weekends, you can find her with her husband, their children, and one of their three cats on a leash, at a local brewery after a hike.
                                                                                                

Maryland      
      Len Jornlin

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Maryland                        Len Jornlin
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            Len Jornlin is a serial social entrepreneur, CEO of Optimize Renewables and the Innovation Entrepreneur-In-Residence at Frostburg State University. During his 32-year career, Jornlin has led NGOs catalyzing the sustainable platform of microenterprise/market development to foster income-generating value chains in water, energy and waste-to-value sectors in underserved markets. Teams he has built have delivered over 2.5 gigawatts and financed $2.4 billion of renewable energy/resiliency projects globally with a diversity of local collaborators in a public-private partnership (P3) approach. His teams pioneered some of the earliest clean economy solutions, markets and manufacturing hubs in the 1990s and 2000s. For the last decade he has been focused on North America, his home state of Maryland and the Appalachian Region. In his last three companies he helped to create over 600 local jobs. Jornlin graduated from Colgate University with a degree in International Relations/Political Science, and from the University of Chicago in International Business with a concentration in economic development.
                                                                                                

Ohio      
      David Kilroy

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Ohio                        David Kilroy
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            David serves as Program Director for the Kricker Innovation Hub, a center for innovation and entrepreneurship at Shawnee State University in Portsmouth, Ohio. Following the completion of its renovation in spring of 2022, the Hub will be a 26,000 square ft. facility for student and community entrepreneurs to prototype, learn, collaborate, and launch new enterprises. In his role since arriving at SSU as an AmeriCorps VISTA in 2017, David has focused on developing new non-academic entrepreneurship programs, building campus, community, and regional relationships, and securing both private and public funds for regional entrepreneurship initiatives. He organized the first Startup Weekend Portsmouth, brought exciting new speakers to campus, and announced acceptance to the selective 2020 cohort for the Rural Innovation Initiative. In his free time, David plays chess, takes his new pup to the local dog park, and renovates his house in downtown Portsmouth.
                                                                                                

Georgia      
      Patrick Larson

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Georgia                        Patrick Larson
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            Patrick Larson is a Senior Project Manager at Georgia Mountains Regional Commission in Gainesville, GA. Larson has a BA in Political Science from Columbus State University and an MPA from Georgia State University. He has 11 years of experience in the economic development field at the federal, state, regional, and local government levels. In his career, Patrick has helped local governments secure over $18.1 million in grant funds for projects to help communities improve quality of life for their residents. In his free time, Patrick enjoys exercising, traveling, watching sports, and spending time with friends and family.
                                                                                                

Alabama      
      Britton Lightsey

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Alabama                        Britton Lightsey
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            Britton Lightsey is a Community Relations Manager for Alabama Power. He has worked in this capacity since 2013 helping the communities he serves throughout Northwest Alabama put their best foot forward. He is active on many boards within his service territory and is involved with multiple economic development and chamber of commerce organizations in the region. Lightsey has a BBA in Marketing from the University of Montevallo. He is an avid outdoorsman and all-around sports junkie. He is married to his wife Stacie and they have two girls, Alexa (10) and Averie (7).
                                                                                                

Virginia      
      Brooke Love

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Virginia                        Brooke Love
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            Brooke Love is the CXO & Creative Developer at Inscape Creative Company. Prior to launching Inscape in 2019, she was the Office Manager with Onward New River Valley, directed the Radford Farmers Market, and facilitated several passion projects co-creating the Wildwood Park murals and the Levy Learning Garden in Radford City. Love has a BBA in Marketing and a MFA (ABT) in Design Thinking from Radford University. In her free time, she enjoys adventuring through life with her two children, getting lost in the woods at the Selu Conservancy, and a good afternoon nap.
                                                                                                

New York      
      Ashleigh Madison

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New York                        Ashleigh Madison
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            Ashleigh Madison is the Program Director of IncubatorWorks. She has helped to create and grow the entrepreneurial community in the Southern Tier and Wester part of NY through her work at IncubatorWorks. Ashleigh has a BA in Liberal Arts with a minor in Studio Art where she was part of a graphic design pilot program; this has transferred into her career while working on digital marketing pieces. She has her own photography business but doesn’t have much spare time for that these days, and instead takes many photos of friends, family, and her 6-year-old daughter, Lucy. Her husband also runs a full-time business when he isn’t at his “day” job and they hope to add a fur-baby golden retriever into the mix, soon.
                                                                                                

Tennessee      
      Adam Mansell

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Tennessee                        Adam Mansell
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            Adam Mansell is the Director of Research at the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development. He joined the state in 2018 as a Governor’s Management Fellow in the Office of Customer Focused Government. Adam has a BA in communication & public service with a minor in survey research & data analytics from the University of Pennsylvania and a certificate in nonprofit management from Tennessee State University. He is a graduate of the Nashville Young Leaders Council and a 2020 Nashville Emerging Leader Award Finalist. Adam is from Hilham, Tennessee, where his 4-H chickens won 1st place in the Overton County Fair.
                                                                                                

West Virginia      
      Jessica McDonald

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West Virginia                        Jessica McDonald
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            Jessica McDonald is Director of Operations at the West Virginia Land Stewardship Corporation. She practiced law for eight years before switching to community development work. She has BAs in International Studies and English from West Virginia University and a law degree from the University of Oregon. Jessica loves the outdoors and does interior decorating and photography on the side. She lives in Morgantown, WV with her son Coban.
                                                                                                

Virginia      
      Matt McGraw

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Virginia                        Matt McGraw
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            Dr. Matt McGraw is a life-long resident of Appalachia and is the Associate Vice President at Dabney S. Lancaster Community College in Clifton Forge, Virginia. He holds degrees from Concord University, Mountain State University, and Old Dominion University.  He has worked in higher education for 19 years, holding positions in Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, Institutional Effectiveness, and Research. He is a Fulbright Scholar (Russia), a Hammond Grant Recipient (Denmark), an A.I.R. Duckwall Scholar, and a Council of Graduate Schools Fellow. Publication topics include leadership competencies of college leaders, crisis management in community colleges, and non-academic barriers facing college students.
                                                                                                

New York      
      Theresa McKinley

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New York                        Theresa McKinley
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            Theresa (Tess) McKinley is the Executive Director at Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) of Steuben in New York. Prior to joining CCE in 2019, she worked at Catholic Charities and the Institute for Human Services in a variety of roles related to emergency assistance, volunteerism, substance abuse education and justice and peace. Tess has her BS in Education from Geneseo and her MS in Management from Keuka College. She has two children and enjoys tasting all that the Finger Lakes has to offer with her husband.
                                                                                                

West Virginia      
      David Michael

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West Virginia                        David Michael
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            On August 1, 2006, David Michael accepted the position of Executive Director/CEO for Habitat for Humanity of the Tri-State.  He graduated from Marshall University with a BBA degree. David has participated in leadership development programs and has been a speaker/panelist at conferences throughout the country. While at Habitat, house production has increased annually, energy efficient house construction is front of mind, and a new state and national award-winning housing program serving formerly homeless Veterans began.  When not at work, David enjoys spending time with his family, serving in his local church, listening to music and traveling to new destinations.
                                                                                                

North Carolina      
      Greg Minton

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North Carolina                        Greg Minton
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            Greg Minton is the Dean of Public Safety at Wilkes Community College. Prior to joining wee full-time in 2011, he is a career law enforcement officer and retired as Chief Deputy with over 36 years of service. During this time, he was an adjunct instructor within workforce and curriculum programs since 1986. Greg has an Associate in Arts from Wilkes Community College, a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Appalachian State University, a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice from the University of South Carolina, an Education Specialist degree from Appalachian State University, and a Doctorate in Education from East Tennessee State University.
                                                                                                

West Virginia      
      Sara Payne Scarbro

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West Virginia                        Sara Payne Scarbro
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            Sara Payne Scarbro serves as Associate VP for External Engagement for the Marshall University Research Corporation. Her passion for WV shines as she builds partnerships with community, business, educational and governmental leaders. Sara also serves as the lead for the Alliance for the Economic Development of Southern WV, a collaborative of 10 public higher education institutions in southern WV. A graduate from Marshall with a background in public relations and political science, Sara had the honor to previously serve two governors and a U.S. Senator. She is married to her college sweetheart Derek and they have a dynamic five-year-old daughter.
                                                                                                

Georgia      
      Lillie Read

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Georgia                        Lillie Read
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            Lillie Read is Executive Director of the Cartersville Downtown Development Authority. Prior to that, she spent three years working as Deputy City Clerk for the City of Dunwoody. Lillie has an MPA from Appalachian State University, with a concentration in Local Government Administration. She also has a Master Certificate of Heritage Preservation from Georgia State University. She is a member of the Northwest Georgia Travel Association, the Georgia Downtown Association, and sits on boards for Keep Bartow Beautiful, Art in Bartow, and the Cartersville Farmers Market. Lillie is an eighth-generation Georgian who loves history and the outdoors.
                                                                                                

Ohio      
      Meghan Reed

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Ohio                        Meghan Reed
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            Meghan Reed is the director of the Trumbull County Historical Society in Warren, Ohio, where she oversees public programming and placemaking projects, manages fundraising and strategic planning, and works to preserve a collection of over 25,000 historic artifacts.  She holds a master’s in public history from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and specializes in developing museums as community assets.  Reed is dedicated to community development work and currently serves as the President of the W.D. Packard Foundation, completing capital improvements at Warren’s Packard Music Hall and Packard Park.  A native of Pittsburgh, Reed is now a proud resident of Warren.
                                                                                                

South Carolina      
      Ken Roper

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South Carolina                        Ken Roper
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            Ken Roper is the County Administrator for Pickens County, South Carolina. Prior to his appointment, he served as the county’s legal counsel for 15 years, and remains a passionate advocate for both local government and his mountain community. Ken is a graduate of Furman University (B.A. Political Science) and the University of South Carolina (Juris Doctor). Ken lives in Sunset with his wife, Karen Sanchez Roper, and their two rescue pit-bulls. Their oldest son, Carson, is seeking a master’s in social work, while their youngest, Hamp, is an undergraduate journalism major.  Ken enjoys fishing, running, and playing his Martin ukulele.
                                                                                                

Maryland      
      Chandler Sagal

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Maryland                        Chandler Sagal
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            Chandler Sagal is the Director of Grants and Development at Allegany College of Maryland. Chandler has played an integral role in raising funds to support capital projects on campus and to enhance existing programs through the addition of new equipment and instructional support. He earned his associate’s degree in 2016, then went on to graduate with a B.S. and an M.B.A from Frostburg State University. Chandler is currently a student at West Virginia University where he is pursuing a graduate degree in the field of higher education with a specific research focus on college student outcomes in Appalachia.
                                                                                                

Alabama      
      Gale Satchel

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Alabama                        Gale Satchel
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            As a delegation leader with People to People, Inc., Dr. Satchel has traveled internationally including Europe, Canada, and Australia. Dr. Satchel serves on several not-for-profit organizations including Listerhill Credit Union, Helen Keller Birthplace Foundation, Sheffield Kiwanis’ Club, and Tuscumbia Lions and the Greater Shoals Rotary Club and Helen Keller Hospital Foundation. At the discretion of Governor Ivey, Dr. Satchel serves on the Alabama Partnership for Children Board of Directors and the Superintendent’s Board for the Alabama High School Athletic Association. Her educational tour has afforded her many opportunities of which she is grateful. Dr. Satchel is 100% committed to the next generation. She has an authentic purpose in her quest to address injustice, prejudice and inequalities for all students and staff.
                                                                                                

North Carolina      
      Robyn Seamon

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North Carolina                        Robyn Seamon
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            Robyn is the Owner and CEO of Appalachian Healthcare Training & Consulting. She provides professional development and consultation services for health and human service providers in rural Appalachia. Robyn is passionate about seeing health outcomes improved in the Appalachian region. She has over 35 years of various experience as a Registered Nurse. She obtained a bachelor’s degree in Nursing and a master’s degree in Appalachian Studies from Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. Robyn and her husband, Ralph enjoy hiking, kayaking, bike riding and generally anything involved in being outside in our beautiful Southern Appalachian Mountains.
                                                                                                

Tennessee      
      Jeff Taylor

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Tennessee                        Jeff Taylor
        ×
            Jeff Taylor is the President and CEO of the Greene County Partnership.  He joined “The Partnership” in this capacity on March 28, 2020-the same day Gov. Bill Lee issued his executive order to close businesses throughout the state of Tennessee. He is a graduate of the University of Tennessee Knoxville with a degree in Transportation and Logistics and has a Master of Business degree from Tusculum University. Additionally, he holds executive certifications from Vanderbilt University, Emory University and Northwestern University. After graduation from the University of Tennessee, Jeff accepted a position with the Army Air Force Exchange Service as a transportation specialist.  Responsible for the private fleet to support all Army, Air Force and Coast Guard bases in the eastern United States, he was also responsible for the container support of the European theater.  He later accepted a position with Land Air Transport in 1993 and moved to Greeneville, TN.  In addition to positions with Jim Palmer Trucking, Missoula, MT and Covenant Transport, Chattanooga, TN, Jeff and his family relocated back to Greeneville in 2008 as he accepted the position of VP, of Business Development for Forward Air Corporation, (NASDQ: FWRD). Jeff has 20 combined years with Land Air/Forward Air serving in a variety of positions. Taylor is a strong advocate for education and the arts, currently serving on the Greeneville Education Foundation (past Chair).  He has served as Ward 2 Alderman for the Town of Greeneville, past president of the UT Alumni Association, Greene County Chapter, The Greeneville Arts Council (GAC), Greene County Library Board, Main St. Greeneville, Little Theater of Greeneville, served on many Greeneville High School booster clubs, church leadership committees, and Westminster College Parent Advocate. With an exceptional level of involvement, Jeff Taylor is committed to advocating for improving the quality of life wherever has lived. An avid reader and skier, he and his family also enjoy traveling. Jeff is married to Dr. Rebekah Kinnard Taylor and they have 3 children: Lincoln (LTJG, US navy), Eliza (D2 at The University of Tennessee School of Health and Science:  College of Dentistry), and Will Grant (sophomore at Wofford College).
                                                                                                

West Virginia      
      Stacy Thomas

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West Virginia                        Stacy Thomas
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            Stacy Thomas joined the West Virginia Community Development Hub in 2019 after serving in her own community as a volunteer in Hub programs. In her role as Community Coaching Program Associate, Stacy leads the Hub’s community coaching training programs and coaches individual communities. Her prior professional experience includes directing a community foundation and leading workforce development and community education at New River Community and Technical College. Stacy enjoys outdoor activities with her two daughters and dog, Jasper.
                                                                                                

Kentucky      
      Jim Tom Trent

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Kentucky                        Jim Tom Trent
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            Jim Tom Trent is a New Business Development Representative with Rajant Corporation, located in Morehead, KY. Prior to joining Rajant, Jim Tom served as the Mayor of Morehead from 2015-2018. He has also served as Family Services Coordinator with the Kentucky Administrative Office of the Courts as well as Regional Coalition Coordinator with Operation UNITE. Jim Tom has a BA from Morehead State University and a JD from Chase College of Law. He has also been a DJ for over 35 years and often does PA announcing for local college and high school sports.






	


  
Appalachian Leadership Institute Alumni
          
                      Since 2019, nearly 160 Appalachians have gradated from ARC’s Appalachian Leadership Institute. After traveling the region, learning important capacity building skills, and getting to know fellow Appalachians, these leaders will continue to take lessons learned back to their communities to strengthen Appalachia.
          
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